Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-11-09
. 0EFENCE OF YOUNG MEN.
HOW THEY STAND WITH EYES HALF
CLOSED.

HOW THEY STAND WITH EYES HALL
CLOSED.
INDUSTRIOUS HABITS AND IT'S AZ
vANTAGES.
NO WAY TO GENUINE SUCCESS
EXCEPT THROUGH TOLL
EITHER OF THE
HEAD OR HAND.
| BROOKLYN, October 30. Six Thousand
people, sitting and standing in the Brook
lyL Tabernacle, and all the adjoining rooms
packed. and people TUNED away Such was
the scene o-day. The congregation sang
| awake, my soul, stretch every nerve,
And press with v1gor on.''
The Rev. T. De Witt Talmage, D. D..
preached on the subject: Defence OF
| Young Men," and took his text from IL.
Kings, chapter vi, v. 17-'And the LORD
opened the eyes of the young man." lie
said:
One morning in Dothan young theo-
logical student was scared by finding him
self and Elisha, the prophet, upon whom he
waited, surrounded by whole army OF
enemies. But venerable Elisha was not
scared at all, because be saw the mountains
full of defence for him, in chariots made ou
of fire, wheels of fire, drawn by horses with
nostrils of fire, and name of fire, and
baunches of fire, and boots of fre-a super
natural appearance that could not be seen
with the natural eye. So the old minister
| prayed that the young minister might SET
| them also, and the prayer was answered,
and the Lord opened the eyes OF the young
man and he also saw the fiery procession
looking somewhat, I suppose, like the
Adirondacks or the Alleghanies in this
autumnal respleDdence.
Many Young men, standing among ths
most tremendous realities, have their eyes
half shut or entirely closed. May Goo
grant that my sermon may open wide youi
eyes to your safety, your opportunity and
your destiny.
A mighty defence for a young man is q
good home. Some of my hearers look back
| with tender satisfaction to their early home
| Tt NAV have been rude and rustic, hlddeh
| among the hills, and architect or upholsterer
never planned or adorned it. But all th'
ticing to YOU as those roughhewn rafters.-
| You can think of no park or arbor of trees
planted on fashionable country seat so at
| tractive as the plain brook that ran in from
| of the old farmhouse and sang under tht
weeping willows. No barred gateway
adorned with statue of bronze, and swung
| open by obsequious porter in full dress, ha'
half the glory of the swing-gate. Many OF
YOU have a second dwelling place, your
adopted home, that also is sacred forever
There you built the first family altar. There
your children were born. All those trees
YOU planted That room is solemn, because
once in it, over the hot pillow, tapped the
| wing of death. Under that roof you expeci
when your work is done to lie down ano
die You try with many words to tell th'
excellency of the place, but you fail. There
is only one word in the language that cal
describe your meaning. 1t is home.
| Now, ! declare it, that young man Is
comparatively safe who goes out into the
world with a charm like this upon him.
The memory of pal entail solicitude, watch
ing planning, and praying, will be to him
| shield and shelter. l never knew
man faithful both to his early and adopted
home. who at the same time was given ove
to any gross form of dissipation or wicked
ness. He who seeks his enjoyment chief,
| from outside association, rather than from
the more quiet and unpresumng pleasures
of which have spoken, may be suspected
to be on the broad road to ruin. Absalon
despised his fathers house, and you know
his history of sin and his death of shame
If yau seem unnecessarily isolated from
your kindred aud former associates, is thei'
not some room yon Can Call your own?
| Into it gather books, and pictures, and i
harp. Have portrait over the mantel.-
Make ungodly mirth stand back from th.
threshold. Copsecrate some spot with tht
knee of prayer. By the memory of othe
days, fathers counsel, and mothers
love, and sisters confidence, call it home
Another defence for young man is in
dustrious habit. Many young men, il
starting upon life in this age, expect tt
make their way through the world by the
use of their wits rather than the toll OF
their hands. A child now goes to the city
and fails twice before he is as old as his
father was when he first saw the spires OF
the great town. Sitting in some Office,
rented at thousand dollars year, he is
waiting for the bank to declare its dividend,
or goes into the market expecting before
night to be made rich by the rushing up OF
the stocks. But luck seemed SO dull be
resolved on some other tack. Perhaps he
borrowed from his employers money
drawer, and forgets to put it back, or fol
merely the purpose of improving his pen
manship makes copy plate of merchants
signature. Never mind, all is right in
trade In some dark night there may come
in his dreams vision of Blackwell's Island.
or of Sing-Sing, but it soon vanishes. In a
short time be will be ready to refine from,
the busy world, and AMID bis fncks and
herds culture the domestic virtues. Then
those young men who once were his school
mates. and knew no better than to engage
in honest work, will come with their OK
teams to draw him logs, and with thei,
hard hands help to heave up his castle
This is no fancy picture. 1t is everyday
life should not wonder if there were
some rotten beams in that beautiful palace
/ should not wonder if dire sickness should
smite through the young man, or if Goo
should pour into his cup Of. life draugh'
that would thrill him with unbearable
agony. l should not wonder if his children
should become to him living curse. max
ing bis home pest and a disgrace. l
should hot wonder if he goes to a miserable
grave, and beyond it into the gnashing OF
teeth The way of the ungodly shall
perish.
My young friends, there is no way to
genuine success except through toll, either
of the head or hand. At the battle OF
Crecy, in 1346, the Prince of Wales, finding
himself heavily pressed by the enemy, sent
word to his father for help. The father,
watching the battle from windmill, and
seeing that his son was not wounded and
could gain the day if he would, sent word
mo, / will not come. Let the boy win his
spurs, for, if God will, l desire that this
day be his with all its honors." Young
man, fight yopr own battles all through,
and you shall have the victory. Oh, it is q
battle worth fighting. Two monarchs OF
old fought duel, Charles V. and Francis,
and the stakes were kingdoms, Milan and
Burgundy. You fight with sin, and the
stake is heaven or hell.
Do not get the fatal idea that you are
| IL 4l,an thora iS no need